Simple, Perfect Chili
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 475
- Total Fat
- 27 g
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 30 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Protein
- 28 g
- Cholesterol
- 84 mg
- Sodium
- 630 mg
Additional reporting by: Emily Saladino
“My simple, perfect chili,” is how Ree Drummond, host of The Pioneer Woman, describes this easy recipe. “I just throw two pounds of beef into a large pot with two cloves of chopped garlic, then cook it until it browns.” Made with canned beans, spices and a secret ingredient that provides layers of flavor, Ree’s chili recipe is comfort food at its finest.
Chili Ingredients and Substitutions
We love Ree's chili recipe for its simplicity and pantry-driven ingredients, but if you only have ground turkey, one type of bean or store-bought chili seasoning, this recipe still works as a great guide.
You can also customize your bowl by serving it with different chili toppings. “I’ve got tortilla chips, lime wedges, red onions and of course grated cheese,” Ree says. Other options include avocado slices, chopped cilantro, pickled jalapeños or sour cream or Greek yogurt.
How to Thicken Chili Like Ree
While you can thicken chili with cornstarch or flour, Ree cleverly combines masa harina with water to form a slurry, then stirs it into the pot. A flour made from ground hominy, masa harina gives Ree's chili a stew-like consistency and provides subtle tang and corn flavor. Once she's pleased with the texture of her homemade chili, Ree adds kidney and pinto beans and simmers for 10 more minutes to thicken it even more.
Can You Freeze Chili?
An ideal make-ahead meal, you can freeze this easy homemade chili recipe in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat in a large pot with a lid over low heat.
More Chili Variations
If you love this recipe for beef chili, check out some of Ree’s other crowd-pleasing creations.
Chili Verde: Ree’s speedy chili verde recipe gets long-simmered flavor from spicy pork sausages and green enchilada sauce — all in just 45 minutes.
White Chicken Chili: Ree’s white chicken chili recipe uses boneless, skinless chicken breasts and comes together in the slow cooker for the ultimate hands-off family feast.
Chili Beans: If your butcher stocks ham hocks, consider Ree’s recipe for chili beans, where overnight-soaked pinto beans simmer with ham hocks and aromatics to create a rib-sticking dish guaranteed to make your entire home smell delicious.
Simple, Perfect Chili
- Level: Easy
- Total: 1 hr 40 min
- Active: 30 min
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 475
- Total Fat
- 27 g
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 30 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Protein
- 28 g
- Cholesterol
- 84 mg
- Sodium
- 630 mg
- Level: Easy
- Total: 1 hr 40 min
- Active: 30 min
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 475
- Total Fat
- 27 g
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 30 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Protein
- 28 g
- Cholesterol
- 84 mg
- Sodium
- 630 mg
Ingredients
Directions
- Place the ground beef in a large pot and throw in the garlic. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain off the excess fat, and then pour in the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and cayenne. Stir together well, cover, and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If the mixture becomes overly dry, add 1/2 cup water at a time as needed.
- After an hour, place the masa harina in a small bowl. Add 1/2 cup water and stir together with a fork. Dump the masa mixture into the chili. Stir together well, and then taste and adjust the seasonings. Add more masa paste and/or water to get the chili to your preferred consistency, or to add more corn flavor. Add the beans and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with shredded Cheddar, chopped onions, tortilla chips and lime wedges.
